Diaper rinser



Dec. 18, 1962 w. HARRIS 3,068,681

DIAPER RINSER Filed June 9, 1961 United States Patent Ofifice dfiddfidl Fatented Dec. 18, 1962 3,068,681 DEAPER nurses n Waiter Harris, 2&5 S. Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, Calit. Filed dune E, @611, et. No. 115,131 7 Claims. (Ci. 682l3) This invention relates to apparatus for rinsing soiled and dirty baby diapers, and, more particularly, to such apparatus for use in conventional toilet bowls. More particularly, the invention is specifically directed to improvements in the type of diaper rinser set forth in my prior art Patent No. 2,978,893.

The diaper rinser disclosed in my prior patent includes an elongated support adapted to rest at its lower end in the toilet bowl. The support has a transverse arm pivotally mounted thereon to extend into the toilet bowl outlet, the arm being provided with radially extending fingers to prevent a diaper from being accidentally flushed through the toilet bowl outlet. Slidingly mounted on the support structure for manual reciprocation along the axis thereof is a diaper-gripping means comprising two pairs of narrow spring-biased manually operable jaws with sharp teeth, the two jaws being mounted on the opposite ends of a fiat transverse bar.

In use the device is maneuvered into a position at which the support structure rests on the bottom of the toilet bowl with the pivoted transverse arm extending laterally into the toilet bowl outlet. A diaper is gripped by the two spaced pairs of narrow jaws and then the operater uses one hand to hold the support structure upright and uses the other hand to reciprocate the diaper vertically into and out of the water in the toilet bowl.

It has been found desirable to improve such a device to reduce the wear and tear on a wet diaper during the rinsin operation. The use of two widely spaced narrow gripping jaws results in concentrated stress and since a wet diaper is vulnerable to damage, the concentrated stress shortens the diaper life. It has been noted that the sharp teeth of the jaws not only concentrate the stresses but also provide sharp edges for cutting effect on the fibres of a wet diaper. It has also been found that the leading edge of the fiat transverse bar on which the two pairs of jaws are mounted has a wearing effect on a diaper when the leading edge is forced downward to press a diaper into the toilet bowl.

In addition to need for improvement with respect to wear and tear on diapers, there is also need for improvement in the washing action. In this regard it has been found that the use of two laterally spaced narrow pairs of spring-biased jaws usually causes the operator to grip a diaper in a manner that results in inefiicient rinsing action. Apparently the two pair of jaws are so similar to clothes pins that the operator of the device tends to engage widely separated portions of a diaper instead of engaging closely spaced portions of the diaper.

When widely spaced marginal portions of a diaper are gripped in this manner the diaper hangs in the manner of a sling with two resulting disadvantages. One disadvantage is that such a sling forms a pocket which interfers with the rinsing operation. The other disadvantage may be understood when it is considered that the washing action provided by vertical reciprocation of the diaper-gripping means primarily affects the first few inches of the downwardly extending diaper. The more remote portions of the diaper tend to rest in the toilet bowl throughout the range of reciprocation. lf widely spaced portions of the diaper are gripped by the two spaced pairs of narrow jaws the proportion of the diaper that rests in the toilet bowl throughout the range of reciprocation is increased.

It has also been found that the pivoted connection of the transverse arm with the support structure has the disadvantage of creating wear in the region of the pivot. Such wear not only shortens the service life of the device but also loosens the pivoted connection to cause the transverse arm to droop by gravity. The drooping of the transverse arm reduces the effectiveness of the fingers on the outer end of the arm and thus increases the possibility of a diaper being inadvertently flushed through the toilet bowl outlet.

The present invention provides a number of features which work together to meet these various needs. In the new construction the assembly that reciprocates vertically on the support structure includes a transverse angular plate having a leading face perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation and having a lateral face substantially perpendicular to the leading face. The transverse dimension of this angular plate is substantial and the diaper gripping means comprises a pair of jaws which are continuous throughout the transverse dimension of the angular plate.

The pair of jaws includes a jaw resiliently biased to its closed position, the leading gripping edge of the jaw being adjacent the bent transverse edge of the angular plate. At least one of the two jaws of the clamping means is dimpled to provide a number of small rounded projections for engagement with a wet diaper in a nondamaging manner. The two jaws further provide sub stantial space inward from their gripping edges and perpendicular to the gripping edges to receive the gripped portion of a diaper. The leadin. face of the angular plate has numerous perforations to serve as a dasher for washing or rinsing action on a diaper.

The transverse arm is rigidly mounted on the support structure instead of being pivotally mounted. It has been discovered that the arm may be advantageously rigidly mounted if the fingers on the outer end of the arm are resiliently pliable both to yield as required for insertion of the rigid arm to the toilet bowl outlet and to conform with the walls of the outlet when the device is in its operating position.

The features and advantages of the invention may be understood by reference to the following detailed descrpition and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the device in side elevation and showing a toilet bowl in transverse section, the view illustrating the manner in which the device may be maneuvered into its operative position;

1G. 3 is a similar fragmentary view showing the device in its operative position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective showing how the jaws of the device may grip one continuous marginal portion of a diaper; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the diaperclarnping means.

The support structure of the selected embodiment of the invention comprises a relatively long support rod 1% with a suitable handle 12 at its upper end and with a fitting 14 of rubberlilte material on its lower end for nondamaging contact with the toilet bowl. A transverse arm 15 is rigidly mounted on the support rod 10 by means of a rugged collar 16. Mounted on the outer end of the transverse arm 15 is a cluster of reslient fingers 18. These copper.

3 r 18 are anchored on a collar 24) by a washer 2.2 and a cooperating screw 24, the collar being secured on the end of the transverse arm by suitable fastening means 25.

An assembly that is slidingly mounted on the support rod 10 for reciprocation axially thereof includes an angular plate that is generally designated by the numeral 26. The angular plate has a leading face 28 of substantial area and has a transverse face 29 that is substantially perpendicular to the leading ace. The leading face 28 has numerous perforations 3% whereby the plate may function in the manner of a dasher for washing action on diapers. The leading face 28 of the angular plate is provided with an aperture 32 by means of which the angular plate is slidingly mounted on the support rod in.

i A bracket 34-Qis fixedly secured to the angular plate 26 and is provided with a second aperture 35 that slidingly receives the support rod 10. An angular rod 36 is secured to the bracket 34 by suitable rivets 38 and carries a. laterally extending handle The support rod 14 is deformed to form a lower stop 42 for cooperation with the angular plate 26 and an upper stop; 44 for cooperation with the bracket 34 to limit the range of reciprocation of the assembly. These two stops are spaced relatively far apart for increased range of reciprocation of the assembly.

Instead of using the transverse face 29 of the angular plate as one jaw of a clamping means, a folded sheet of spring metal may be mounted on the transverse face by suitable rivets 46 to form a fixed jaw 48 and a movable jaw 59, the movable jaw being biased to its closed position. The fixed jaw 48 and the movable jaw 50 are provided with numerous spaced dimples 52 for gripping action on a diaper, the dimples being rounded to minimize damage to diapers.

It is contemplated that the interior of the two jaws 48 and 50 will provide ample space to accommodate the gripped marginal portion of a diaper. In the construction shown the movable jaw St} is offset in cross sectional configuration to form a space 54 for this purpose, the space lying inward from the gripping edges of the jaws and extending substantially parallel with the gripping edges of the jaws. It is to be noted that the bend of the angular plate 26 forms a protective rounded leading edge slightly forward of the two jaws 4S and St to keep the jaws from applying excessive edgewise pressure on a diaper when the diaper is pushed downward into the toilet bowl.

The manner in which the invention serves its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description. The relatively great transverse dimension of the transverse jaws 48 and t} distributes the gripping pressure over such a substantial portion of a diaper as to minimize the stressing of the diaper fibres. The spaced dimples 52 are effective to prevent slippage of a wet diaper but do so without any tendency to damage the diaper. The liberal space 54 inside the two jaws provides clearance for the confined portion of a gripped diaper to keep the confined portion from interfering with the gripping action of the jaws.

The single handle 58 which is mounted on the movable jaw 56 by suitable rivets 6% provides convenient means for opening the movable jaw 56 to receive a diaper. Only one hand is required, the other hand being free to feed the edge of the diaper into the jaw.

The general appearance of the clamping means comprising essentially the movable jaw Stt is so unlike a pair of spaced clothes pins that an operator will not unconsciously tend to engage a diaper by widely spaced points in the manner used in hanging wash on a clothes line. Instead the operator tends to grip a continuous portion of the diaper in the manner shown in FIG. 4, instead of engaging the diaper in a manner that forms the diaper into a sling.

When the assembly is reciprocated by means of the handle 40 with simultaneous lateral rotation of the assembly as indicated by the arrows 56 in FIG. 3, the leading face 28 of the angular plate 26 serves as a dasher for Washing action in a well known manner. The substantial area of the leading face 55 distributes the pressure against the diaper widely to avoid concentration of stresses in the diaper fibres. There are no sharp edges for destructive action against the diaper on the downward movement of the assembly, the diaper being protected against such destructive action by the extensive area of the leading face 2% and by the rounded leading edge 55.

Notwithstanding the fact that the transverse arm 15 is rigidly mounted on the support structure, the device may be easily maneuvered into its operative position in the manner indicated by PEG. 2. The resilient pliable fingers 18 readily deform by fiexure to make such maneuvering possible and when the device is in its operative position the resiliently flexible fingers effectively seek contact with the surrounding 'wall of the toilet bowl outlet as shown in PEG. 3 to prevent inadvertent flushing of a diaper out through the outlet.

My description in specific detail of the selected embodiment of the invention, will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a diaper rinser wherein a support structure adapted for positioning in a toilet bowl has a transverse arm to extend into the toilet bowl outlet with fingers 0n the radial'extension to prevent a diaper from being carried through the outlet and with a diaper gripping means reciprocative on the support structure for rinsing a diaper,

the improvement comprising: said diaper gripping means being in the form of an elongated continuous laterally extending clamp means, said clamp means being resiliently biased to a closed position; and a handle on said clamp means for manually opening the clamp means, said clamp means comprising two jaws, at least one of said two jaws having a gripping edge and forming an internal recess substantially parallel with said gripping edge to provide space for a portion of a diaper that is gripped by the clamping means; one of said jaws being flanged along its leading edge for exerting pressure against a wet diaper on the downward movement of the pair of jaws, said flange distributing the pressure to minimize damage to the wet diaper.

2. In a diaper rinser wherein a support structure adapted for positioning in a toilet bowl has a transverse arm to extend into the toilet bowl outlet with fingers on the radial extension to prevent a diaper from being carried through the outlet and with a diaper-gripping means reciprocative on the support structure for rinsing a diaper,

the improvement comprising: a transverse plate substantially perpendicular to the axis of the support structure and mounted on the support structure for reciprocation longitudinally thereof for periodically pressing a gripped diaper downward into the toilet bowl, said transverse plate having numerous apertures to function as a dasher for washing action on a diaper engaged by said diaper-gripping means.

3. In a diaper rinser wherein a support structure adapted for positioning in a toilet bowl has a transverse arm to extend into the toilet bowl outlet with fingers on r 4. The improvement as set forth in claim 3 in which said diaper-gripping means is substantially co-extensive with said lateral face and the bend of said angular plate is rounded.

5'. The improvement as set forth in claim 4 in which said clamping means has two jaws and in which at least said diaper-gripping means includes a resiliently hinged one of said jaws is dimpled to form spaced rounded projaw carried by said lateral face of the angular plate, said jections for clamping engagement with a diaper. jaw having a handle for manual operation.

6. The improvement as set forth in claim 5 in which 5 Referenees Cited in the file of this Patent said jaw provides an inner space adjacent its gripping UNITED STATES PATENTS edge, said inner space being substantially co-extensive With Said angular plate to receive a portion of a, diaper 1, 9 ,49 Stephens Ian. 31, 1933 gripped by the jaw. 2,740,970 Fagundus Apr. 10, 1956 7. The improvement as set forth in claim 6 in which 10 2,973,393 Harris Apr. 11, 1961 

